This $3.3 million Riverwalk project will turn an eroding bank into a hot spot. Here’s how
A roughly $3.3 million project to address erosion along portions of the Columbus Riverwalk also will give folks more places to gather and sit near the water.
The current erosion control structure, a wall of rock, dirt and wire, near the Synovus Centre will be replaced. A concrete wall will be erected, and between the new wall and the river, stadium and artificial turf sitting areas will be installed.
Preliminary work is expected to begin March 28, and construction is slated to end in December. The timeline will depend on the weather and how often the riverwalk floods, said Philip Adams, a project engineer with the city’s engineering department.
The project was initially expected to close the Riverwalk, but city officials said the attraction will remain open.
“This should be a permanent solution,” he said. “It’s going to be a pretty cool project. It’s going to be very good for the area.”
What will the changes look like?
On the grassy slope between the street above and the riverwalk below, groundcover, shrubs and small trees will be planted to help hold the soil and prevent erosion. An eight-foot wall with a hand-rubbed concrete finish will be built below the plants. Letters spelling out the city’s name will be cast into the wall, according to designs obtained by the Ledger-Enquirer.
Below this wall, there will be two levels of concrete stadium seating in the center. Artificial turf sitting or standing areas will be built on both sides of the stadium seating. Stairs separate the stadium seating and turf areas.
There will be four synthetic turf areas — two upper and two lower-level areas. The turf areas will be built atop six-foot walls.
The $3.3 million project will be funded through the city’s capital improvements project fund, Adams said. Columbus firm Barge Design Solutions is the design engineer and landscape architect for the project. Kiewit Infrastructure South will handle the construction work, Adams said.
“(This) is going to open up additional areas for residents and visitors to enjoy the riverwalk,” he said.
Why is the city doing the work?
The Columbus Riverwalk was built in the 1990s to address the city’s sewer overflow problems. Underneath the sloped ground runs a “very large diameter interceptor sewer line” that carries sewer water down to a water treatment plant, Adams said.
About a decade ago, gabion walls were constructed to slow erosion and protect the sewer line. The walls were made of rocks, dirt and other earthen materials placed inside wire structures. There were defects. When the river flooded, the waters sucked the dirt out of the wall, Adams said.
The new project is expected to provide a permanent solution designed to handle flooding and protect the sewer line.
But it also provides more seating for people who want to watch kayakers and rafters. The seating areas will be close to Waveshaper Island, Adams said.
Ed Wolverton, President and CEO of Uptown Columbus, and Dan Gilbert, owner of Whitewater Express, said the new design enhances the riverwalk.
Gilbert said he hopes the new seating is ready for the 2022 World Cup Kayaking competition coming to Columbus and Phenix City in October. The cities are also hosting the World Championship in June 2023.
“The environment around the river is attracting tourists from all over the southeast,” Gilbert said. “(This) takes kind of a spot that’s a little bit dead. It’s not real attractive. It doesn’t really do anything. It’s just a bank. And it enhances that as another spot where people can enjoy the river.
“It’ll definitely be a hotspot,” he said.
This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 12:53 PM.